Colorado Eagles fall too far behind against Florida Everblades

Kyle Ostrow nets two goals in 4-2 loss

ESTERO, Fla. -- Chris Stewart has critiqued his team's play with the puck in its own zone at times this year, and for the first time this season turnovers really hurt.

The Colorado Eagles (13-5-3, 29 points) lost the second game to Florida 4-2 on Saturday, keeping them from winning their third-straight road contest.

Entering the second period trailing by a goal, goaltender Marc Cheverie mishandled a puck leading to a second goal 4 minutes into the frame to give Florida a 2-0 cushion. The goal went to Matthew Pistilli, who leads the league in scoring with 31 points.

Kyle Ostrow
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"We didn't give up anything easy, we worked extremely hard. We just went up against a really good team. We played them well the other night and tonight we just weren't as sharp," Stewart said. "They took advantage of some opportunities they got early, and now you're playing behind the eight ball and it changes things."

Again, a turnover gave Florida (14-6-1-1, 30 points) an opportunity at net. This time the error was especially costly as it came on a Colorado power play with 15 seconds remaining in the second period. The Everblades converted to spread the advantage to 3-0 entering the third.

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Despite giving up three goals, Stewart said he thought his guys kept playing with effort, things simply weren't going the Eagles' way. Another goal 43 seconds into the final period dug the Eagles a 4-0 hole, leaving nothing short of a miracle for a Colorado comeback.

Kyle Ostrow did his best to drag the Eagles back into the game, scoring two goals in 30 seconds early in the period. Both Trent Daavettila and Jonathan Parker assisted Ostrow's goals. His two scores moved Ostrow to 12 this season and 17 points total, while Daavettila is tied with teammate Kevin Ulanski for 20th in the ECHL with 19 points.

However, it was as close as Colorado could come.

"When you get down by that many, it's hard to realize that you actually have a chance to come back and win," Stewart said. "Next thing you know, you score two quick ones and you have two or three really good chances. It shouldn't have come down to that. We should have created those opportunities earlier."

Former Eagle Trevor Cann made plenty of big stops in the final minutes to keep Colorado from getting within a goal. He stopped 28 shots in the game.

Colorado, which had done well to capture the first goal this road trip, gave up the opener nearly 7 minutes into the first period. The early deficit put the Eagles in a mostly unfamiliar spot with eight of their 13 wins coming when leading after one.

Good news is the Eagles have just one game left of the six-game road trip Sunday in Orlando before returning home to play Las Vegas Dec. 11, 13 and 14. Colorado remains solidly in second place in the Western Conference.

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